September Eleventh
by Cuthien Moonleaf
Summary: The reaction of Raven as she discovers the Twin Towers in the USA were attacked. slight RaeRob. Oneshot


Raven stared in horror at the television. "Robin!" She shouted, her voice slipping from it's usual monotone to show her distress. "Robin!"

"What's wrong, Raven?" Robin asked, running into the room. She shook her head, pointing to the TV screen. A picture of two pillars of smoke joining into one was being shown. "What happened?"

"The Twin Towers were hit. Robin, there are thousands of people in there! We have to go help!" Raven said. Her distress wound it's way through their bond to hit Robin like a large brick.

"Raven, we can't do anything. We can't get to New York from here. All we can do is watch." Robin told her.

"We _have_ to do something! I can't just sit here and watch this!" Raven insisted.

Cyborg entered the room, hearing Raven shouting. "What's wrong?"

"The World Trade Centers have been hit." Robin responded. "What were they hit with, exactly?"

"Two planes were taken over by terrorists and crashed into the Towers. A third hit the Pentagon. A fourth was retaken by the passengers, but it crashed in a field in Pennsylvania." Raven replied. "Robin, why can't we go help?"

"Help with what?" Beastboy asked, walking nonchalantly over to the couch and reaching for the remote. Raven slapped his hand away fiercely. "Ow! Why do you want to watch smoke?"

"That's the World Trade Centers up in smoke, idiot!" Raven hissed. "I want to help the people trapped in there, Robin. _Why can't I_?"

"You won't get there in time! And you're too upset right now to use your powers successfully!" Robin yelled.

Raven slapped him. She didn't know what possessed her to do it, but she slapped him. "Don't _ever_ tell me what I can't do with my powers. Those people are _dying_, Robin. Maybe you don't want to help them, but I do." She hissed. She raised her hands to teleport, and Robin grabbed onto her at the last minute.

They teleported to New York just in time to see the North Tower collapse. Raven turned to Robin, hiding her face from the sight. He held her close, watching the tower and hearing screams from people inside before they were crushed. He closed his eyes, turning away as well.

"Rae, take us home. There's nothing we can do here." Robin whispered in her ear. She nodded and just managed to focus enough power to send them home.

Raven sank onto the couch, her head in shaking hands. "They died." She whimpered. "We couldn't save them. They all died." Barely managing to hold back tears, she fled from the room.

"How many people were killed, Rob?" Cyborg asked. The remote was held in his limp right hand, probably to keep Beastboy from changing the channel.

"We didn't stay long enough to find out. We got there just as the North Tower fell." Robin said softly. He couldn't manage to use a regular tone of voice. "I'm going to go talk to Raven."

He knocked on her door apprehensively. Would she let him in? What if she didn't? Would he force his way in? His thoughts were interrupted by the door sliding open with a soft hiss. Raven lay curled up on her bed, uncharacteristic tears falling down her cheeks. Her sadness and pain hit Robin when the door opened, leaving him reeling.

"We didn't come in time." Came Raven's soft voice. "They died, because we didn't come in time."

Robin sighed. He didn't know how to deal with this different Raven. "You tried. I would have let it go, just watching it on the news. I forgot that you could teleport. I'm sorry." He walked over to her bed and sat behind her, stroking her hair softly. Normally she didn't like contact from people, but this wasn't the normal Raven, and it certainly wasn't a normal situation.

"It's awful. I feel everyone's worry. So many people are wondering if another plane is going to hit Jump City next. So many people are upset at what happened. Some, the children, are just confused. I feel it all, Robin. It's all so strong today, because of this attack." Raven mumbled.

"The terrorists aren't going to get away with it!" Robin said fiercely. "We'll get them, and then they'll play. Don't worry, we'll fix everything."

Raven shook her head. "You can't give those people their lives back. You can't give survivors their loved ones back. Nothing will be fixed." She brushed her tears away and curled into a tighter ball. Her cloak covered her whole body, and hung off the edge of the bed lifelessly.

"We'll get back at them, then. The President won't just let this go. We'll fight the country that did this, and win the war." Robin replied.

"You promise?" Raven asked. Her anxiety washed over Robin, and he found himself nodding.

"I promise. They won't get away with this, Rae. Even if I have to find the person myself." Robin said. He turned to the small TV Raven kept in her room. It was dusty, but he wiped the dust off. "Want me to turn this on, and we'll watch what's going on in here?" Raven nodded, so he turned to a news channel.

Raven held out a hand, and a cup of coffee and a cup of tea appeared in her room, both steaming hot. Robin sat down next to her and together they watched the progress of the firefighters trying to save everyone while they sipped their drinks and took comfort in each others' presence. Downstairs, the other three Titans tried to pretend all was normal, even though a feeling of sorrow floated through the Tower, attaching itself to everyone.

No attacks came that day, as if even the villains were watching what was happening with bated breath. Raven kept glancing upwards, as if seeing through the building to the sky above and looking for an airplane about to crash into the Tower. None came, though, so she calmed down about that. Once night fell, three-fifths of the Titans fell asleep in the living room, not wanting to be alone, and the Birds fell asleep in Raven's room, the television still replaying that morning's tragic events.

September Eleventh. The United States would later go to war, and the superheroes would back them all the way, though they stayed out of the actual war.

September Eleventh. The day embedded itself in everyone's minds for a long time, though they tried to get on with their normal lives.

September Eleventh. The one day that the Titans saw a side to Raven they had never seen before. The side fill with desperation to save people, the side that could lose control yet not blow anything up.

September Eleventh. The day Robin realized his fellow bird was not a dark goddess, but in fact a woman who strove to be perfect, who strove to save the world.

September Eleventh. The day that changed everyone's lives forever. The worst tragedy to hit the States ever. A day we shall never forget.

Now, five years later, it still hasn't been forgotten. On this day, Raven would get a wild look in her eyes and Robin would have to sooth her back to her usual control. They would sit and watch a recording of the Twin Towers being hit, reminding themselves of the reason they fight for justice.

September Eleventh. Don't forget what happened that day. The Teen Titans sure won't.

There were two reasons for this story. One, I wanted to remind every American of what happened, even though some of you might not care. (Not saying you don't, just saying you might.) Second, I wanted to show that this affected even the strongest of people. Yes, Raven was very OOC, I know that.

Please, don't forget 9-11. There are soldiers still fighting in Iraq for what happened, and someone who graduated from my school died because of it. Please, don't let their efforts be in vain.

DEDICATED: To those who died in the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the crashed plane in Pennsylvania. To the soldiers fighting in Iraq for this reason. To anyone who cares, and wishes that it never happened. I know I do. AMERICANS, PLEASE DON'T FORGET!


End file.
